Yesterday, Govern Chris Christie was kicked off Amtrak's "quite car." No joke… Why? Screaming into his cell hone. According to WND: " “He got on last minute yelling at his two Secret Service agents I think because of a seat mixup, sat down and immediately started making phone calls on the quiet car,” Mann told […] The post Gov. Chris Ch...

Join us behind the curtain of standard platitudes to tap into the cutting edge of wine science and taste the liquid visions of seasoned veterans and emerging hipster winemakers. The post The Postmodern Winemaking Symposium ~ Third Annual appeared first on Wine Blog.

[Image from the Pratsch Vineyards.] Thanks to Winesellers, Ltd., my global palate experiences are growing by leaps and bounds. What this has to do with YOU is that what I am leaning, I'm passing along. And, it's with the hope that you step outside of your own comfort zone. Search out these worldwide wines. What […] The post Austrian Wine and ...

Cadaretta Wine’s Soil Composition at Southwind Vineyard is a story that I wrote for our client. Because it's for their Website, it's got a copyright on it and stories like this I never put onto my blog ~ like so many other internal documents that I produce daily. But this one has just stuck with […] The post Cadaretta Wine Soil Composition ~ ...

Have you ever wondered how much wine comes from one vine? This is a great trivia question, for those opening moments, instead of asking, "So, what's your sign?" "Either way, you're a geek, though," said she, who used to get hit on. On average, one plant equals about 14 pounds of fruit, if crop isn't […] The post How Much Wine Comes From One V...

The following is a report from winemaker Kendall Mix of the Middleton Family of Wines. Historically, the Middleton family has been in business in Washington since the 1890s. "Our family has been working the land since 1898, when we started a lumber business in Aberdeen, on the coast of Washington State. We began with lumber […] The post Middl...

Down to earth, that's what defines Oak Knoll Winery. The family came in as humble farmers, and they cling to their original humble beginnings. In a world of wine, where a bit of pretense is crafted into being the original beverage of kings, queens, and priest alchemists, it's been easy to slip into a snob […] The post Continuing its down to e...

Petite Sirah winemakers know firsthand why PS is a winemakers wine. I know that, too, as the founding director of PS I Love You. But most wine writers still don't understand. So, I asked some winemakers that I know, "Why do you make Petite Sirah?" They tell great aspects of this story. Larry Schaffer, tercero […] The post Petite Sirah Winemak...

From the Facebook page Born & Raised in Maine, I saw this picture. It inspired me to share and write: "In Maine, it could happen, but for me… It was squirrels, thankfully." My friend Terry Mcnulty: When we used to camp at Lake Pillsbury, we would take our food and put it in a big […] The post Trashy Love Story, or… Why I Drink...

France and its wines  I have traced myself back to Charlemagne. And, yes, so can many other people of Europe, because he had 17 children with eight of his 10 known wives (or concubines). So, where does that put me? In line also with Pippin the Short, Charles Martel, and the Kings of Scot. I […] The post Top 10 intriguing things about France a...

UPDATE, or an Andy Blue Redo… When I wrote my original blog story called "More brewhaha from Andy Bluehaha," it was in response to Anthony Dias Blue's editorial about Petite Sirah, and how he just doesn't "get it." I understood on a gut level; I don't eat foie gras, for instance. I'd gag if I […] The post Andy Blue Redo appeared first o...

FACEBOOK: Take the book closest to you, turn to page 45, read the first sentence, and that will explain your love life. Okay… "President Franklin D. Roosevelt formed a whiskey council made up of industry executives to help the government create a distillery plan for the war efforts." Yeah, it would take a novel to […] The post Darn, I m...

I decided to begin the blog in preparation for the future: And, as always, I went looking for the Web address, to create the link. I was immediately sucked in: The post How to get a wine writer's attention via Email ~ Josh Wine Cellars appeared first on Wine Blog.

Germany and its wines  How elders are treated is fascinating. Here's the link to the story, in its entirety. No sense trying to reinvent this one. LISTVERSE: FAKE BUS STOPS; Noticing that seniors tended to stray toward public transportation as a way of returning home, the homes teamed up with local organizations to erect fake […] The post Top...

I watched a brain surgeon once open a bottle of wine and I couldn't help but think, "Thank God that's not my brain." If you're also intimidated about opening a bottle of wine with a cork, head on over to Wine Turtle. It's a wine site for handy and fun learning about wines, and in […] The post Vinomaster ~ Corkscrew for easy access to your del...

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Variety versus varietal University of California at Davis, if you care about precious credential: Variety is a noun. Varietal is an adjective. Example, I love the varietal characteristic of this variety. It's that simple.   The post Variety versus Varietal appeared first on Wine Blog....

How did it all come together? Social media, people meeting people every single day, in the most unusual of circumstances… But, there they are, cultures of all kinds intermingling every day in our global world. Wines, motorcycles, cars, and planes PETER NOWACK A Q&A snippet from Jo Diaz‘ Wine Blog ~ 2/2014, BC (before cancer) […...

Top 10 intriguing things about New Zealand Wines  Did you ever notice that New Zealand is an upside down boot? A boot and a leg warmer, to be exact; not contiguous, like Italy is. Thanks to social media being launched, I launched the story above in 2010, and because listed on Google as the first […] The post Top 10 intriguing things about New...

Very uptown, that's Ms. Jennifer Wall. And so are the companies for which she's worked. I first met Jennifer in one of my transitions: from my working at Belvedere Winery, as Belvedere's communications coordinator and district sales position. I was at a crossroads; did I want to continue with communications, or did I want to […] The post The ...

If you get a chance, you'll be doing yourself a tremendous favor, when you discover the Wines of Portugal. As my host, Enoforum Wines introduced me to winemaker Pedro Hipólito of Adega Coop de Redondo (established in 1956). Based in the town of Redondo, in Portugal's Alentejo district, this is a municipality of the Évora […] The post Adega Co...

I thought I'd share this one, since Bordeaux reached out. I'm not there, I haven't seen the harvest, but the Ouellette/Bernier woman inside of my DNA loves any news from France. It's one of my joies de vivre. So, From Bordeaux with Love… Who wouldn't want to journey here? [Purchased images.] By: Union des Grands […] The post From Bordea...

I once wrote a story called Wine Country Casual, because people are so concerned, wanting to know the best thing to wear. We're like that as people, aren't we? It's also one of my most clicked onto stories. Everyone wants to know what to wear. But, what about behavior? After we dress to fit in, […] The post Wine Etiquette ~ The 10 most import...

I've wanted to blog about Jon Moramarco, who's based in Santa Rosa, California. A long-time wine industry executive, Jon's launched an interesting new research report for the wine, beer, and spirits business called bw166 Total Beverage Alcohol Overview. Before launching bw166 in 2014, Moramarco spent four years as president and CEO of Winebow, Inc....

Another day in the life with Enoforum Wines as my host, while enjoying The Wines of Portugal. Winemaker Óscar Gato of Adega Coop de Borba is based in the town of Borba, a municipality of the Évora District, in Portugal. As I've written earlier this week, to understand the people and their culture helps to […] The post Adega Coop de Borba in t...

This is a beginning of a series of wineries in the Alentejo region in Portugal. I was based in the amazingly charming and very historic town of Évora. Enoforum Wines was my host, while I was introduced to the Wines of Portugal. At some point, I'd love to return to explore the spectacular beauty of […] The post Carmim Winery in the Alentejo Re...

In order to understand the wines of Portugal, first you must understand its people. My friend Delfim Costa sent this book to me from Portugal. I was so touched with his unexpected generosity, that it became a New Year's resolution to learn more about Portugal. The book The First Global Village, How Portugal Changed the […] The post The Wines ...

The First Global Village ~ How Portugal Changed the World is a book written by Martin Page. Image via Wikipedia When a book arrives on one's doorstep as a gift, it has not only come from the sender, but it's also arrived from the universe as a token of change and an opportunity for expansive […] The post The First Global Village ~ How Portuga...

Three cheers for the grandparents who have loved unconditionally, and in the process have saved more than one child along the way. My maternal grandparents were my anchors, and have shaped how I also love my grandchildren: biological, step, and natural. Today, I raise my glass of wine to the grandparents whom we all love […] The post Grandpar...

Turkey and its wines Right now, Turkey is focused on bridging the gaps between one of the oldest grape growing and wine making regions in the world, by educating the new world about what Turkey has to offer. It has an 11,000 year history of winemaking. There are more than 800 indigenous grape varieties in […] The post Top 10 intriguing things...

Not everyone loves crowds. Those who do are ultra social beings and it's great for them. (Keep it up!) It works, because the vast majority of people love being social and in crowds. But, there are others who prefer more intimate settings, so a list of  ways to avoid wine country crowds needs its place, […] The post 10 Ways to Avoid Wine Count...

Vacationing in wine country for adults is very special. It's magical, awe inspiring, the landscapes wow everyone, and it's so casual. This time, though, you brought the kids and you're now at a loss… What to do with them? Well, when in Rome, so what the Romans do, and begin by asking the locals. And, […] The post You brought kids to win...

Chile and its wines Chile has 460 Years of Wine Heritage When the Spanish arrived in sixteenth century, there was no phylloxera Chilean vine rootstock (at the time) grew own-rooted, which turned out to be a valuable genetic material. This allowed Carmenere to thrive hidden among Merlot vines for over a century, even after its […] The post Top...

This day, that day, Cabernet day, I've thought about doing a Petite Sirah day… How many days can you have in wine, when there are 365 days in a year. Portugal has over 500 different grape varieties that are indigenous, and Italy can boast even more? But… I'm in marketing, right? So I do see […] The post Cabernet Day, I just had to...

The blessing of a harvest is a major, religious tradition in all wine regions. In the spring, many ceremonies also occur for the blessing of wine grape vines. I once had to research "why," when asked; so, I went to my dear friend the Reverend Doctor John Staten. John and his family own Field Stone […] The post Blessing of a harvest in fall is...

It's always a joy to receive Iron Horse Vineyards' bubbles. As I read Joy Sterling's cover letter about her family's 2010 Russian Cuvée, it sparked another memory, but first, what was written, so you understand the brain connection. Understandably, my family still takes complete credit for ending the Cold War. The 2010 Russian Cuvée in […] Th...

Ah… common courtesy, will we ever all be in a room together and get along completely? In light of the recent incident,when a group of rambunctious women were removed from The Wine Train, I'm relaunching this story. While it's a very funny look at wine behaviors, beneath it is "courtesy," as a missing ingredient at […] The post Road Warr...

Yesterday's story about the Napa Wine Train sparked some very interesting comments on that post. Wine industry comments support the issue Great thread, Jo! Should be a “must read” for all “wine professionals”, whether in Napa or not! Interestingly, this incident just appeared in our Oregonian newspaper today, but as you can guess, it, too, […...

Well, this was bound to happen, regardless of race, creed, or political party. The removal of Wine Train passengers brings a lot of issues to the forefront, from the side of someone on the other side of the bar. Let me digress for a second… When I was working in tasting rooms, inevitably some group […] The post The Removal of Wine Train...

I just got an E-Mail, with no link to the video or any content at all, but obviously someone was very excited. So, I went looking to see if the subject title was accurate or another spammer. (I get about 250 spam emails a day. It's exhausting to filter and delete such nonsense.) The title […] The post Compound found in red wine causes conflic...

Her journey begins with taking what was going to be a slam dunk, easy senior course. Instead, it turned into a bit of a nightmare, with Captain Sargent leading the torture... Even when it made that turn, and older Marine is still a Marine, after all,... and, you WILL get it. The post Evolution of a Wine Drinker appeared first on Wine Blog.

This is Day 4 (and the final day this week) of a series for Robert Biale Vineyards commemorating 25 years of their dedication to preserving historic vineyards. It's not just about growing wine grapes for the Biale team. It about history, people, wine grapes, terroir, and the best use for all of it. On Tuesday, […] The post Robert Biale Vineya...

This is Day 3 of a series for Robert Biale Vineyards commemorating 25 years of their dedication to preserving historic vineyards. It's not just about growing wine grapes for the Biale team. It about history, people, wine grapes, terroir, and the best use for all of it. Yesterday, I attended the Robert Biale Vineyards' Vintage […] The post Rob...

This is Day 2 of a series for Robert Biale Vineyards commemorating 25 years of their dedication to preserving historic vineyards. It's not just about growing wine grapes for the Biale team. It about history, people, wine grapes, terroir, and the best use for all of it. Today, I'm headed to the winery to enjoy […] The post Napa Valley Early Fo...

Robert Biale Vineyards is commemorating 25 years of their dedication to preserving historic vineyards. It's not just about growing wine grapes for the Biale team. It about history, people, wine grapes, terroir, and the best use for all of it. Tomorrow, I'm headed to the winery to enjoy what they feel is the best of […] The post Robert Biale V...

The Diabetic Wine Lovers Guide… Do you think it can happen? I know it can, because I have someone who, once he was "pre-diagnosed," took his life into his own hands, and still drinks wine today, but lost the "pre-diagnosed." How? Change of eating habits. Paleo diet, which precludes starches. Joined a gym. Is now […] The post The Diabeti...

Spain and its wines Paella is a rice dish, not a seafood dish. (Whew, I'm allergic to sea food, so I'll cozy up more to see what that protein is.) Ten top regions in Spain: Andalusia Asturias Basque Country Catalonia Castilla y Leon Extremadura Galicia Valencia Madrid Valencia The exciting nightlife in Madrid kicks off […] The post Top 10 int...

Boyd Brolan and their Birds… We're all just happy birds of a feather here in wine country, or so we thought.?This is Wise Acre Farm, right in the middle of Windsor, California's wine country. This is where hospitality is part of our daily due diligence.? This is a farm where I've brought my grandchildren. It's […] The post Boyd Broland ...

I just finished reading Lettie Teague's Wine in Words, Notes for Better Drinking. Lettie is as much the resource as she is charming. Easy to read, personable, this valuable book is headed toward being one of the best wine books ever sold, historically… It's a major keeper! Congratulations to Lettie Teague. Why? How do I […] The post Let...

Argentina and its wines Argentina is the world's fifth largest producer of wine. Eighty percent of Argentina's wine comes from Mendoza, South America's largest wine producing region. (Yesterday, I wrote about the Grove Street Malbec. This is where the wine got its origin.) Spanish missionaries planted the first Vitis vinifera wine grapes in Argenti...